Recipe - Putitza

FOR THE DOUGH
1 pack Active dry yeast
1 1/3 cup Warm milk
3 Three fourths cup Flour
One half cup Sugar
3 Eggs
6 tablespoon Butter; melted
1 Lemon; grated peel only
1 pn Salt

FOR THE FILLING
2 ounce Golden raisins
2 tablespoon Breadcrumbs
4 tablespoon Butter
4 ounce Walnut meats
1 ounce Blanched almonds
1 ounce Candied citron
1 ounce Candied orange peel
2 ounce Pine nuts
1 Lemon; grated peel only
1 Orange; grated peel only
2 Egg yolks
1 Egg white
Granulated sugar

One of Italy's very special Christmas and New Year's dishes is this rich
nutandfruit pastry, sometimes spelled "Putitza" or "Putizza." DISSOLVE
THE YEAST in One fourth cup milk. Add One half cup flour and knead into a soft ball.
Cover this with a towel and let it rise in a warm place. When it has
doubled in bulk, add it to a bowl containing the rest of the flour, the
sugar, eggs, melted butter, pinch of salt and grated lemon peel. Mix in
enough milk to make a supple dough; knead well. Cover with a towel and let
rise until doubled in bulk. Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with
hot water; let soften, then drain. Saute breadcrumbs in 3 tablespoons
butter. Finely chop walnuts, almonds and candied fruits. In a large bowl,
mix together the raisins, pignoli, grated lemon and orange peel, chopped
nuts and fruits, sauteed breadcrumbs and 1 egg yolk. Whip the egg white
into soft peaks and fold it into the mixture. Preheat oven to 375F. Butter
a baking sheet. Roll dough into a sheet 1/8inch thick. Spread filling over
it, leaving 1 inch clear at the edges. Roll it into a cylinder and coil it
on the baking sheet like a snail shell. Beat the remaining egg yolk in a
small bowl and paint the surface of the dough with it. Sprinkle it with
sugar and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until pastry is firm and golden brown.
Makes 1 Loaf

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini